The Beauty of Treachery
by AlphaMale45
Summary: Naruto is to be married to the niece of the Fire Diamyo, but of course, he opposes this with every fiber of his being, but he has no choice. How far will he go to steal his fate from the hands of power, what won't his friends do to help him, and how will a mysterious rouge affect the situation? Naruto may yet have to run for his life. Pairing Undecided, Asuna from SAO
1. The Grand Entrance

**Hey... yeah soo... don't kill me, but... yes, I put Yuuki Asuna from Sword Art Online in the story, but that is where the crossover-ing stops! she is the only thing from SAO or any other source being put into BoT, so that is why it isn't in the crossover section... Also, I made my own Diamyo, for reasons you will understand, and NO the guy at the end is NOT Kurosaki Ichigo from Bleach or a spin-off of him! Also, I only roughly skimmed a summary of the Fourth Shinobi War Arcs, so if something is wrong, or some one is dead and they aren't here, sorry, please tell me so. Now, onward to the story!**

**I don't own shit from anything... i'm poor... shut up about it you rich bastards...**

It was pouring down rain in and around Konoha, lightning flashing and thunder booming across the clouded sky, flooding the streets of the Ninja village and causing the dirt road leading to its gate to turn into a quagmire. The villagers were intelligent enough to stay inside on such a stormy day, but the ninja of the powerful village were preparing for the marriage of their beloved hero, Uzumaki Naruto.

Of course, this was the last thing that the loud-mouthed knucklehead wanted, and the weather fit his mood to perfection. Naruto walked through the streets of Konoha, sloshing through lakes of water, in his normal ninja wear and sandals, of all things, his head hanging down, headed for the tower of the Hokage. He was still furious about the whole ordeal. What would his father think of him, knowing he was going into an arranged marriage? He would probably say that he, as a ninja, Namikaze, and Uzumaki, had to do his duty.

He was being married to the niece of the Fire Diamiyo, after all. That made him no less angry. To the average onlooker, despite the very small number, he looked to just be keeping the rain out of his face. But he was keeping his eyes on the ground so no passing civilian could see the blood red, vulpine eyes that occupied the space where the normal cerulean pools usually stayed. He hadn't even met the girl, and they were due to be wed in two days!

He finally reached the large red tower were Tsunade and her staff resided, guards posted outside the entrance. He entered the building, thankful to be out of the rain at least. He walked up the stairs and through the wooden hallways of the tower until he reached the Hokage's door, passing shinobi all the way, stone faced and watching his every move, with two ANBU guards on the sides of the door. He put his hand on the door knob, about to open it, when he remembered the day a week ago he found out about the marriage.

_**"Hey Baa-chan! What 'cha want from me? You got a mission that needs doing?" Naruto basically yelled as he busted through the door. He spotted a vein popping in anger on Tsunade's forehead, but she said nothing. Instead, she just looked down at a letter on her desk.**_

_**"Naruto, I have some... bad news."**_

_**"What is it Baa-chan?" questioned Naruto, all playfulness gone, to be replaced by worry.**_

_**"It... has to do with you, Naruto. Here. Read this," she handed the letter to Naruto. He saw that it was in very frivolous kanji, likely written by some official of sorts. It read:**_

_**'Dear Hokage-sama,**_

_**The Fire-Diamyo sends his regards, and his apologies for not visiting his strongest shinobi village in quite some time. He wishes to arrange a visit soon to view the status of your esteemed village with his own eyes, instead of through various reports, after the Fourth Great Shinobi War. It has also come to his lordship's attention that in your ranks of highly trained shinobi resides the last survivor and head of two of the greatest clans that have ever resided in the Fire Country, and more specifically, Konohamagure, their home. We have learned that he goes by Uzumaki Naruto, son of Namikaze Minato, the 'Yellow Flash', and Uzumaki Kushina, the 'Bloody Habinaro'. After stumbling upon this wondrous discovery, a stroke of brilliance overcame the Diamyo. He wished to propose this in person, but time presses this subject, so he would ask you in this letter. His Greatness wishes to propose a marriage between Uzumaki Naruto and his niece of the powerful clan of Yuuki, Yuuki Asuna. This marriage would strengthen the Yuuki clan, reestablish the Namikaze and Uzumaki clan to full clan status and make it strong again, while tightening the bond between the great shinobi village Konohagakure and the Diamyo, making its problems forefront to the Diamyo over other villages, and gain it much favor. The Diamyo will be arriving in one weeks time, along with Yuuki Asuna, in hopes that the marriage ceremony will be ready in time for the Diamyo's visit. He simply wished me to close this letter to you with this, great Hokage-sama, that he would be **_**very **_**displeased if the marriage proposal would be declined.**_

_**In regards,**_

_**The Scribe.'**_

_**Naruto simply let the letter drift from his hands, confused, angry. He couldn't speak, so Tsunade spoke first.**_

_**"Naruto, I am terribly sorry, but this has to happen. I cannot simply refuse the Diamyo. He could just remove me from office, and appoint his own personal puppet. You would be forced into the marriage anyway. I am truly sorry Naruto. I know Sakura and you have become closer since the end of the war, but you have to go through with this."**_

_**Naruto just stood there, looking at the ground in front of him, not saying a word. After a few minutes of silence, he just turned around and left.**_

He knew what was waiting on him on the other side of the heavy, oaken door. The Diamyo of the Fire Country and his wife-to-be, Yuuki Asuna. He finally gathered the will to open the door, and when he stepped through the first thing he laid eyes on was a furious Sakura. She had the look of a cold blooded killer in her eyes, and he remembered when he told her about the whole ordeal, she almost put him through a wall.

He turned his vision leftward to see a worried Shizune, and a distraught Tsunade who looked like she hadn't slept in a week, and thinking about it, she probably hadn't, considering he was like a son to her. He turned a little more to the left and laid eyes upon a man of large proportions, standing at a good 6'6", who looked to be in his late forties, who had on a magnificent kimono of red silk that had golden embroiders on the frays with a sash of gold and red stripped silk across his more than ample stomach, though he wasn't overweight. In fact, under the rich garments, he looked to be very well built. He had a headdress that came up six inches of the top of his head, made of thick velvet with gold chains hanging of the sides and rubies at the ends. He had a shock of thick, light brown hair that could be seen from under the headdress. His jaw was thick and strong with a long, regal nose, and eyes that looked like light chocolate. He defiantly wasn't and ugly man. _The Diamyo,_ thought Naruto.

He had a entourage of assistants, caretakers, and royal staff with him, all buzzing around, filling out papers on flimsy, movable desks, in folding chairs, asking if the Diamyo if he need anything. There was also a line of bodyguards, with long, deadly katana's, blocking his view of something, or someone.

He tried to focus on staying calm, knowing he could explode if he didn't. He bowed deeply before the Diamyo, showing his respect, and in turn, the Diamyo bowed slightly in return.

"You must be Uzumaki-san. It is a great pleasure to finally meet the son of Namikaze Minato. My brother and he had a strong friendship, one I wish we shared, together, but my duties pulled me away from friendships, as I was in training by my father to be the Diamyo," he said in a strong, calm voice. "I had hoped to meet their child before, but I was informed long ago that you had died. I had no idea that you were even alive, but to discover you were the jinchuuriki of the _Kyuubi no Kitsune, _well that startled me. I am glad to have finally met you though."

"It is a great pleasure to finally meet you, Diamyo-sama. I hope that I can please you in your efforts."

"Ha ha! No need to be so formal! We are all friends here, no doubt!" Sakura gave an almost inaudible growl at this. Naruto simply attempted a smile, but turned more into a grimace. The Diamyo paid this no heed.

"Well, I think it is finally time that you met my niece, your bride!" he clapped his large hands together, and the guards parted, revealing a sitting beauty that put most women to shame. Naruto gasped a little. She was amazing. She had long caramel, almost auburn, hair that cascaded down her back, with two braids on the side of her head pulled back and tied together at the base of her skull, with bangs going down her sides in front of the braids. She had a small, subtle nose, high cheek bones, and soft-looking skin that was slightly tan. Her lips were full and soft, and she had large mocha-brown eyes that you could get lost in.

Naruto tried to speak, but the beauty took his thoughts from him. Suddenly, this wasn't looking so bad for the blond.

"Hello, Uzumaki-san, it is wonderful to finally meet you," she greeted pleasantly with a sweet but strong voice.

"H-hello, Yuuki-san," he stuttered out, bowing just as deeply as he had for the Diamyo.

"Like my uncle said, no need to be so formal. Please, Asuna-chan is fine," she said, sweet again.

And then killing intent flooded the room, coming from Sakura. Everyone was frozen in place, but Tsunade broke her shell first.

"Sakura!" she yelled. "Leave immediately!"

"But, Tsunade-sama-"

"Leave!"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," she muttered angrily. She turned and bowed to the Diamyo, but gave a look that could murder to Asuna. She turned and walked to the door. She opened it and slammed it closed, almost breaking it in half, leaving a large crack down the middle of the thick, oak door.

"I am terribly sorry, Diamyo-sama. She has a temper greater than mine, and she is very... protective of Naruto, as she is his former teammate, and she doesn't approve of this turn of events."

"It is... quite alright. There is always a bit of disapproval in matters such as this."

Naruto turned to see a terrified Asuna.

"Yuuki-san, are you alright?" he asked, worried.

"Y-yes, I am fine. That was simply... troubling," she said, losing some of the terror from her features. "Anyway, like I said, Asuna-chan is fine, Naruto-kun," she said, forcing a smile this time.

IIIIIIIII

She was infuriated. She had just met him, and she was already 'Asuna-chan'! How dare she? She is already stealing him from her! Now she took her exclusive right to his favor? Well, besides Hinata, but that's different! Shes just his friend! This bitch had Naruto caught at first sight, she was so damn beautiful! So what if she had bigger breasts than her, a more womanly and curvy body than her? She was still damn beautiful! Wasn't she? Damn!

She stormed out of the Hokage's tower, being instantly drenched by the ever increasingly nasty storm, headed for the nearest bar. She was going to drown her troubles in saki tonight.

IIIIIIIII

A man in a dark trench coat, with its front buttoned up all the way, and the deep hood pulled over his head, overlooked the forest that lay between the cliff he was standing on and _Konohagakure no sato. _He had a katana, a good four feet long, strapped to his back, with a black hilt, the sheath a shiny, black leather.

He stood at 6'3", a muscular build visible from underneath his cloak, strong, sinewy arms, thick, muscular legs, and strong, wide set shoulders.

_I finally found you. If I travel fast enough, I can be there within the hour. Don't worry, I'll stop this madness, Asuna. I'm almost there. _He disappeared in a flash, leaving only rustling leaves and rain in his place.

**'Ja like it? R&R plz.**


	2. The Sob Story

**Hey, how's it goin'? Anyway, this one was a little rushed, and I was under the influence of alcohol when writing the first part of it, so don't kill me. Hope you like it**

**I don't own shit... I'm poor... shut up you rich bastards...**

He approached the gate at a brisk walk, hurrying to get to the village. As he entered the gate, a miserably wet shinobi directed him to the check-in desk. He walked to the chuunin manning the desk, coming up with a plausible lie.

"Name and reason for your visit," stated the chuunin.

"Yin Torikkusuta. I'm a traveling samurai, looking for work," he said, not dumb enough to give his real name. The chuunin gave him a hard and long look, then turned to his sign in sheet, wrote his name and reason, then returned his attention to 'Torikkusuta'.

"Alright. You might want to check with the Hokage if you are looking for work. Her office is the the large red tower in the center of the village. You can't miss it. It's the tallest building in the village," pointing to it. "Good day to you, Yin-san," and with that, he started off towards the tower.

_Finally, I can get started._ When he thought no one was paying attention, he flashed to the top of a building and started to speed to the Tower of the Hokage. Unluckily for him, a certain pink haired kinoichi noticed his odd behavior, and decided to follow him.

IIIIIIIIII

Naruto and Asuna were led to a small room where the could talk in private, just down the hallway from the Hokage's office. It wasn't furnished very lavishly. A pine table sat in the center with an unlit candle in the center, with two white-cushioned pine chairs pushed under it. It had a single window overlooking the back of the tower's grounds.

The ANBU who escorted the two told them to knock on the door when they were ready to leave. After the door was closed, they sat at the table, and Naruto tried to start a conversation to further increase his pitiful knowledge of his wife-to-be, but she silenced him with a movement of her hand, the sleeves of her kimono, which matcher her uncles almost perfectly, dangling below her arm.

She formed the tiger seal and closed her eyes, Naruto felt her chakra building up, amazed that she possessed ample control of her chakra to perform a jutsu. He mouth opened when her hair started to float around her head, more chakra building up inside her. Finally, she opened her eyes, startling poor Naruto, and calmly said,

"Futon: Shaon hei!"

_Noise barrier? Where the hell'd she learn something like that?_ She looked up and smiled at him

"How do you know how to do jutsu, and what the hell is a noise barrier?"

"Well, when you're the only child of a person in power, like my father, and especially if it's a daughter, it helps to know a few things to keep certain words from certain ears," she said in her near angelic voice, smiling the whole time.

"Well, what did you do?"

"Essentially, I increased the air pressure on the walls and openings of the room, making it almost impossible to hear anything from outside the room."

"Who taught that to you? A shinobi? Your father? Your uncle?"

"A friend," she said, her smile dampened. "He only ever aspired to be a shinobi, the greatest to ever live. His father was a close friend of my father, so naturally, we were friends from a very young age. We were only born a year apart, him being the older. When we grew a little older, his path took him to the academy in the capital, and mine to be groomed as royal blood, but I wish I was with him in the academy every day," a tear started to roll down her face.

Naruto may be clueless when it came to the opposite sex, but he wasn't so dense as to not see that she loved this mysterious friend of hers. Her tale was pulling the strings of his heart, and he wanted to comfort her, but he knew he wasn't the one to do it.

"I told him that, and he told me that he would teach me everything he learned at the academy. He took highly detailed notes, memorized every assignment and test, and gave them to me. He was the best in the academy, just so he could teach me," her tears were coming freely, now. " He mastered every basic jutsu, and taught them to me. He was the best teacher anyone could have ever asked for, always encouraging, never letting me think I couldn't do it. He said that if I failed, the it wasn't my fault, it was his for not teaching it right," she was out right sobbing now, holding her head inf her hands, trying to stop the tears.

"I couldn't let him fail, so I pushed myself every day. O-once, I pushed myself so hard, I was unconscious for three days from chakra exhaustion. After that, I took to calling him 'sensei'. He hated it so much," she smiled at that. "After he graduated from the academy, he was always out on mission, because he was the best Genin to ever come out of the capital. But every time before he left, he would teach me how to do a new jutsu or two, and when he would get back, I would have mastered it."

Naruto couldn't take it any more, he got up out of his chair, walked in front of Asuna, knelled down, and wrapped his arms around her. She opened her eyes in surprise.

"Go ahead, finish," so she did.

"Eventually, my uncle caught on, and told my father. When he found out, he threatened to have him stripped of his rank and have his chakra points sealed off if we ever had contact again, but that didn't stop me. Two months later, I helped him sneak into the gardens of of the Royal Palace, and there we talked for hours, well into the night. Eventually, he had to leave, so as not to be caught, but before he could leave, I wanted to do something I need to have to have done long ago. I... I went to kiss him, but little had we known, my father had me being watched the whole time, and a royal guard, one of the samurai you saw with my uncle, had his blade on his neck. My father showed himself to us, and he started to threaten him even more. At that, I distracted my father and his guards, and let him get away. My father had him stripped of his rank, classified him as a class-A missing-nin, and set hunter-nin on his trail. He escaped the city, and I haven't seen him since. That was a year ago. So, to answer your question, it was a friend."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, if you counted out her unfailing sobs. Finally,

"Thank you, for telling me that. I know you infinitely more than I did twenty minutes ago," he muttered in her ear. She pulled herself from his embraced, and looked him straight in the eyes, tear trails staining her face.

"Thank you," she said, her voice hoarse. "I needed to tell someone that. If I had waited any longer, I would have snapped at any time. I'm... sorry to put that on you, with our marriage two days away. It must be hard, knowing your marring someone whose in love with someone else. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It's only fair that you know that I'm marrying you, and I'm in love with someone else too," Asuna smiled.

"Is it the pink-haired kinouichi?"

"Yes, Sakura-chan," he said, blushing a little.

"Then I'm sorry, but we must forget our love..."

"I know..."

IIIIIIIIII

As he approached the Hokage Tower, 'Torikkusuta' landed in an alley, so as to approach inconspicuously. He walked at a brisk pace to the entrance to the grounds, still oblivious to Sakura.

_Who is this guy?_ Sakura wondered. She was hiding in the shadows after she landed from the roofs when her mark did the same. _He gives off a bad aura. Damn, I wish I had his cloak right about now, though. This rain feels like I'm being hit by hundreds of senbon needles. _The storm had only picked up in the time that had passed. As he walked to the entrance to the actual tower, two ANBU appeared out of nowhere, barring his way.

"No one passes," said the one in a cat mask.

"Oh, really," muttered 'Torikkusuta', in a voice that could have been mistaken for a teenager's, even though this was obviously a man grown. "Well, I guess, ill just have to leave!" he half yelled, ramming his thumbs into the sternum of the two ANBU agents, knocking the fight out of them, as they painfully slipped to the ground and out of consciousness.

Sakura was startled, and was about to charge him, when in a burst of speed, he went inside the tower. As she ran through the hallways, she was passing the unconscious forms of multiple shinobi, all the way from Genin to ANBU rank. As she closed in to the Hokage's office, she began to fear the worst. _If he could get passed this many shinobi and kinouichi, than the Hokage doesn't stand a chance, and neither does the Diamyo! I have to stop him! _She picked up her speed, not noticing that none of the ninja had any wounds on them, that they were just out cold.

Further down the hall, past the Hokage's office, the stranger stood at the door that held Naruto and Asuna behind it. The two ANBU were slumped on the floor beside the door. He put his hand on the knob, turned, and pushed.

IIIIIIIIII

The only indication that anything was happening was the sudden drop in pressure in the room. Both engaged parties turned to the door to see a dripping wet, black cloaked figure standing in the doorway, with two ANBU bodies at his feet.

Naruto quickly stood from his chair, drawing a kunai, and taking a stance. Asuna was scared. Scared for her life, for Naruto, for her uncle. She was scared that she had lived for nothing. Scared that finally, when she left the capital was when she was going to die. She had several attempts on her life before, but all had been foiled. But this one looked like it would come to fruition.

The figure reached for his hood, about to pull it down, and a vision of a scarred face flashed in Asuna's mind. But was replaced with an all-too familiar face.

"Saigo!?"

**Dun Dun Dun! the dreaded cliffhanger! Sorry bout' that, but maybe that will keep ya hooked a little longer. R&R plz.**

**Translations:**

**Saigo: literally the Last, you will find out latter why.**

**Torikkusuta: the Trickster.**

**Shaon Hei: Noise Barrier.**


	3. Round 1

**Alright, so here's the next update. yeah the action gets going here a bit, and a little plot advancement, so bear with me, but the fight is going to last a couple chapters, that way i can explain a few things. also, with my cover art, yes that is from the anime, it isn't an original piece, so i just wanted to clear that up. i know its from the anime cause i got it of the wiki, so no bitchin please. anyway, here we go.**

**I don't own anything from any anime/manga/wiki/shit, especially Naruto... cause i'm too poor for that... but not poor enough to own the computer this was written on! Haha!**

A handsome man, strong of jaw, a perfect chin, a small nose, mid-level cheek-bones, buzzed down light brown hair, and a pair of icy blue eyes stood in the doorway, a slight smirk on his face

"Saigo!?" yelled Asuna, astonished. "H-how-" before she could elaborate, Saigo was blasted via a punch to the side of the face down the hallway, through a wall, only to fly through the air and through another two buildings by a very, very pissed Sakura.

"Saigo!" cried Asuna. "No!" She tried to run out of the room, but was caught by Naruto.

"Asuna, who was that?" questioned Naruto.

"T-that w-was the friend I t-told you about! She killed him. She killed, she killed him, she killed him..." she sobbed, sliding to he knees.

"That bastard killed dozens of shinobi!" she gestured to the ANBU at her feet. At that, she knelt down to check their fatal wounds. The first thing she checked on one of the shinobi was his pulse. She found one. A strong, healthy heartbeat.

"What? He's alive!" she quickly checked the other one. Alive. Then she remembered something, and pulled back their vests, seeing to large blotches of black already forming above their sternum. "He just knocked them out!"

"Sakura... what happened! Where's the assassin you were screaming about?" Tsunade appeared beside the pink haired medic-nin.

"I just punched him through the wall, and he isn't dead you whining bitch!" Sakura directed towards the sobbing Asuna. "Not yet!" Sakura, in a poof of smoke was out of the hole in the wall. The Diamyo and his royal guard, naked katana's in hand, arrived behind the Godaime Hokage.

"Tsunade! What is happening?"

"No time to explain, Diamyo-sama! Take Asuna back to my office, and please stay there Diamyo-sama!" The large royal nodded, beckoning for Asuna. She wouldn't budge though. The Diamyo motioned for one of his guards to retrieve her. He moved to her and grabbed her by the arm. Naruto released her at that.

"Let's go, Yuuki-san, we have to go," he grumbled to her.

"No! I have to see him! I have to see him!" she sobbed, now sitting on the ground. A wave of realization hit the Diamyo.

"Tsunade, I know who the assassin is. Kill him. No exceptions. If he escapes, it might be your head I am having. He is now considered a Class S missing-nin, one of the most dangerous in the Fire Country," Tsunade stared at him and nodded. She beckoned for Naruto. He obliged and walking after her, turning his head as he left, only to see two of the guards dragging Asuna behind them. He and Tsunade dashed out of the hole in the wall after Sakura.

Meanwhile... Saigo raised up out of the rubble, blood-red chakra engulfing the right side of his face, rapidly healing the disfiguring injuries. A strange tattoo snaking up from under his shirt to travel halfway up his neck, two flayed prongs wrapping around it. He let out a growl.

"Stupid monster bitch... Damn that hurt!" he climbed out of the hole in the house, back into the monsoon. He flashed to the top of the house he was rocketed through. He eyes a glimmer of pink coming out of the hole in the Tower, shortly followed by two shades of blonde. He drew his katana, knowing where this was going. _Hold on Asuna... give me ten minutes, and we can see each other again._

As he finished his thought, three poofs of smoke appeared on top of the building in front of him. Sakura saw him, the chakra fading from his face, the tattoos receding. _What the hell? His injuries are completely healed. I knew he survived, but he shouldn't even be standing right now. How..._ she also spied the peculiar katana he held. It was solid black, except for the blood colored strip where the cross-guard should be, but instead, it was just a four-foot blade transitioning into the hilt with just a small indention where a cross-guard for defense normally resided on katana's. It was made of pure metal too, she noticed. No wood for the hilt. Just a leather wrapping for grip. _That blade is purely for attack, just like Sasuke's, isn't it, you cocky bastard. If that's true, it means he relies on his speed for defense, which he clearly has. Or... something else is his defense. Dammit. If Sasuke wasn't out on a mission, he could handle this guy, no problem. We will have to be careful. _

Naruto and Tsunade were having similar observations. Naruto formed his familiar hand sign, and with a cry, twenty Kage no Bunshin appeared in a burst of smoke behind the trio. Before Naruto could charge head in, like always, Kurama spoke up.

**"Kit. Be careful,"** he rumbled. **"Something smells... wrong with this one... he smells like an... old enemy of mine... if I tell you to run, fucking. Run."**

Naruto was surprised. It took him a moment to respond. _R-right._ Was Kurama scared of this guy? If so... He quietly relayed Kurama's message to the others. Sakura and Tsunade were shocked too, but they just shrugged it off, preparing themselves.

Saigo ran his left hand through the stubble on his head, while tightening his right hand on his katana. He normally kept his hair grown out, down to his neck, but he had to change his appearance to get back across the border into the Fire Country. Ah well, at least it didn't get in his eyes in this rain.

"Hey, are we gonna fight, or are you just showing off. If so, get outta my way, I hate getting wet!" taunted Saigo, smiling a wide, mocking, yet toothy grin. "No? Well, I guess I'll get things started," he yelled, and in a flash, he was on them.

His black katana nearly cut Sakura in half, if not for Naruto deflecting it with his kunai. Saigo flashed behind Tsunade, jabbing at her back, but she backhanded the blade, sending it wide, and Saigo reeling. She took advantage of this and put her fist in his gut, but he was substituted into a store sign, her hand shattering it. _Kawarimi?_ The black-clad shinobi appeared behind the platoon of Naruto clones, his cloak flapping in the high winds, and performed several one handed hand signs as he took a wide but low stance in front of the fakes.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" bellowed Saigo, putting his hand to his mouth, taking in a massive breath, then releasing it as an enormous ball of scorching flames. It was easily the size of one of the Hokage monument heads, angled up into the air. It took out all of the clones, went several hundred feet into the air, then imploded on itself, sending a shock wave over the sky. That got a few peoples attention.

The trio of ninja were stunned by the size of the fireball.

"N-naruto... we have to get him out of the village..." choked out Tsunade. He nodded his head. He summoned three clones and handed them all five of his clones the special three-pronged kunai needed for the Hiraishin no Jutsu. When they had the kunai, the disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Alright. Get ready you two. It'll be a few minutes until they're in position."

"Hai, Naruto."

"Okay, kid."

IIIIIIIIII

Sasuke, Kiba and Akamaru, Lee, and the still adjusting newly revived Namikaze Minato were traveling back from a mission in the Tea country investigating the actions of a missing-nin organization. They had tracked a group that had just robbed a small village back to their camp deep in a dark, dank cave in a roadside hill. Needless to say, they walked out without an injury. The mission had taken the last three weeks.

They were walking down the main dirt road that connected Konoha to the rest of the road systems. They were still a couple of miles away from the village, passing by drenched villagers, traveling traders, farmers on covered ox-lead wagons loaded with the autumn harvest. All seemed peaceful, well if you count out Kiba and Lee arguing over who was going to get the larger sum of the mission reward, all the while being drowned by the massive storm.

"I should get the most money! Akamaru found their trail!" yelled Kiba.

"Well, I should get the money because I took out the most shinobi!" retorted Lee.

"That doesn't matter. If the trail was never found, you wouldn't have been able to take out that many guys!"

"Your argument holds no value, Kiba-kun! If it was not for me, you would have been injured! Or did you forget my heroic catch of the kunai that was three inches from the back of your neck!"

"Grr... Shut up Lee!"

"Would you two quiet down," drawled Sasuke, while he looked up into the sky. "Namikaze-sama will get the largest sum. You know Naruto and him need it more than we do," Minato just grunted in acknowledgment at the use of his name, as he was deep in thought.

Minato and Naruto had moved into small, but still larger than Naruto's old one, apartment. Sasuke had only visited once to have dinner with the newly reformed team seven and the Yondaime Hokage. It was a homey little flat, two bedrooms, a combined kitchen and living room, a bathroom, and a small office.

Before Kiba or Lee could argue, a massive shock wave was seen and heard over Konoha. It could have been mistaken for a lightning bolt, except for it covered the entire radius of the village. Minato was shook out of his thoughts by it. Sasuke's and Minato's eyes met, and they were gone in a an unimaginable burst of speed, with Kiba and Lee in hot pursuit, leaving several bystanders in surprise.

**Yes, Minato is revived in the manga. Look it up if you think i am shitin you. Also, I've seen the Romanji of the fireball jutsu spelled differently in different places, so if my spelling is wrong, can someone inform me of the correct spelling, please? Thanks. R&R plz. Alpha out.**


	4. Round 2

**Yo. sorry for being late. I saw a black cat cross the street and i had t- Oh... you guys have heard that before, well then... I was on my way when i saw an old lady needing help across th- that one too? Damn, well, i guess i just have to say that writers block is a big ol' bitch. BIG. anyway, here you go... Dhrubowiz...**

**I ain'tst in the possessions of anything Naruto-ish or SAO-ish, stock-wise... else i'd be F'n rich as shit. Instead, i'm poor as hell...**

"Naruto, left!" yelled Sakura. Naruto looked to his left to see a black katana inches from his face. He barely feigned to his left in time. He jabbed at the assaulter with a kunai, but the shinobi dodged with incredible speed, right under the offending weapon and, he sliced up, knocking the blade out of the blonde's hand. Naruto back flipped back a few times to gain distance, almost teetering on the ledge.

Naruto summoned in a few more clones, all ready to kick ass. One of the clones ran to the left of the roof, another to the right, and another right at Saigo. Naruto and the remainder of his clones followed the last one. The first three clones closed in to attack. Saigo cut one in half as it tried to punch him in the face, the other lost a leg as it tried to roundhouse him, and the last had the kunai it threw at Saigo caught and lodged in it's own skull. All three exploded out of existence.

Then the remaining clones, numbering about a dozen, were on him. He had to block with his legs, arms, hell, even his head at one point, just to avoid receiving a devastating blow, but not once did he use his katana to block. This perplexed the trio of shinobi. The real Naruto appeared by the Hokage and her student, trying to plan an attack.

"Nothing is working, Naruto!" muttered Tsunade. "How much longer until your clones are in place?"

"I don't know, but we have to hold him off until then... By the way, why do we have to kill him... he's Asuna's friend-" that's when the gravity of the tale he was told hit him.

"Oh... yeah..."

"What is it, Naruto?" questioned Sakura.

"Asuna's father, the Diamyo's brother, ordered him dead because he didn't want him around Asuna, because he was teaching her how to be a kinoichi... because that's what she really wanted to be..." they watched as the black clad rouge finished with the last of the clones, then he was on the trio.

He was slashing left and right, up and down, trying, it seem, to cut them in half. This sequence continued for a good minute, Sakura feigning in and out, Naruto blocking with his kunai, Tsunade batting away the blade with her bare hands, until Naruto slipped on the wet roof, and lost his balance.

Saigo took advantage of this, and moved in for the kill. He brought his blade around to literally cut Naruto into half, from shoulder to hip. Sakura saw this, but was too late. She screamed as the blade made contact with Naruto's shoulder, near the neck, watching as he was cleaved in two... or so she thought, for he was simply slammed to the ground from the force of the blow. Saigo saw an enraged Sakura moving in to rip his head off, so he flashed away, to a different roof.

Sakura stopped before Naruto, and bent down to look at him.

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"Arg... bastard hit me with the flat of his blade... why? He could have killed me right then... Still, he shattered my collarbone," Sakura gently probed it with her index finger, but even that garnered a stifled 'Fuck!' from the injured blonde.

"Sakura," Tsunade appeared behind the pink haired kinoichi, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'll take care of Naruto, you go knock the shit outta that bastard," Sakura looked up and met the eyes of the aging woman.

"R-right," she muttered. She stood and turned to face the deadly shinobi. He smiled a bit at her. She glared kunai at him. Almost literally.

"Whats the matter, Sakura?" he yelled, voice barely audible over the raging winds of the storm. "Did I hurt your precious 'Naruto-kun?'" Sakura was stunned.

"H-how do you know our names?"

"How wouldn't I? You two are among the most famous ninja in the world right now! I'd have to have been living under a rock not to know that!"

_I guess that's plausible... Still, I'm gonna pummel this bastard. _She dashed to the edge of the building and lunged at him on the other roof, fist cocked back, ready to knock his head off. She bared down on him like an avalanche, but he simply stood there. When her fist was mere inches away from the tip of his nose, with speed that rivaled Rock Lee, he feigned out of the way, letting her hand smash into the building, ripping it apart.

He flashed to the next building, Sakura in hot pursuit. She was on him again in seconds, her throwing chakra enhance punches, him dodging her with only centimeters to spare, but looking as if he were just taking a walk in the park. They continued on like this for several minutes, until he straight up grabbed her hand as it was headed straight for his face. She gasped, but recovered quickly, and threw another punch. He blocked that one with his sword.

"I've always heard you were monstrously strong, and, well, I heard right. But lets see how well you handle this weight..." he force open her hand that was caught in his, and shoved his katana into it and let go of her. She felt her arm being pulled downward.

"What the-" and then she was pulled down through the building's three floors and into the ground, making quite a crater. She screamed in pain. Her forearm was snapped, of that she was sure, along with her hand being completely shattered, and stuck beneath the ungodly weight of the blade.

"Heh... I bet your wondering how the Hell I swing that around. Well... lets just say I have a little help... Now be a good girl and stay there," he jump over to the next building, which occupied the still wounded Naruto and his healer, Tsunade.

"I guess it's past time to finish this... I need to see Asuna anyways..." he walked toward them, performing the same hand-signs as earlier for his gigantic fireball.

_Shit..._ thought Tsunade._ Sakura surpassed me long ago... if she was defeated that easily, I don't stand a chance... _She closed her eyes, waiting for the end_. Jiriaya, Kushina... I'm sorry, I failed you two and you also, Minato. If only you were back..._

"Rasengan!"

**Sorry for the cliffhanger, but i have decided to stretch this fight out for a bit, but then we will get into the plot. Yes, I'm that evil. R&R plz. Alpha out.**


	5. Sudden Death Round

**Heeeeey... So, yeah... I'm a little more than five minutes late with this update, buuut, it's a long one... maybe that will help... No? Well... deal with it. -avoids brick aimed for head- Hey, watch it! anyway, enjoy**

**(Insert standard witty disclaimer here about me not being rich and not owning Naruto or anything else with a good helping of profanity, and a dash of sarcasm.)**

"Rasengan!" Saigo turned his head to see a blue-hued ball of colored chakra inches from his back. _Fuck... _The ball connected with his back, and a searing pain engulfed his back, tearing his clothes apart and sending him spiraling through the air, past Tsunade and Naruto, to blast through another two buildings.

Naruto and Tsunade looked to where Saigo was previously, only to see Minato with his hand outstretched, smoking a little, with Sasuke, Kiba, and Lee standing behind him.

"Dad! You're back!"

"Looks like I made it just in time."

"You're damn right you did!" he tried to stand up, but Tsunade forced him back down.

"Your not healed yet, baka! Stay down!" Tsunade yelled at Naruto.

"Fine."

Minato and his squad gathered around Naruto and the Hokage.

"Tsunade-sama, what happened?" questioned Minato.

"Before I explain, Lee, go free Sakura! She's trapped in that building with the hole in a roof!" Tsunade commanded, pointing at it.

"Hai!" and the green-spandex clad shinobi was gone in a flash.

"Now, Minato, that bastard you put through those buildings, which is going to cost a lot," she muttered. " Is-"

Before she could finish, they all were weighed down by a massive killing intent, coming from Saigo's direction. The five ninja looked to his direction, to see the assassin, now only in his black pants and boots, as Minato destroyed his cloak and undershirt with his destructive Rasengan.

All of them were surprised by what they saw.

"What the Hell?" muttered Sasuke, memories flashing back to his curse mark and Naruto in his Tailed Beast Chakra form. In front of them, being drench by the intensity of the monsoon, was Saigo, but... not Saigo. He was completely different. He was built before, but he was absolutely ripped now. Every muscle in his body was intense, taut. His chest was powerful, his pecks looked like blocks of solid metal, his abs chiseled from stone, his biceps, small tree trunks. But this wasn't the most unusuall part about him. He hadd black tendrils of tattoos snaking around his body, stemming from a seal with the kanji in the center.

_Death? Why is that in his seal? Kurama, whats going on?_

**Kit, you have to get him out of here! NOW! I am healing you as fast as I can without damaging your body, but you have to get him as far away from the village as possible!**

_H-he's that powerful?_

**Kit, this could be a repeat of Obito if you don't act quickly.**

_What!?_

**Just do it!**

_Right._

"Everyone, we have to get him out of here. Kurama was adament in that," Naruto explained, urgently.

"What?" gasped Tsunade.

"Yeah, the Yang half of him said the same thing," stated Minato

"_**Hey, dumbass, are we gonna fight?" **_yelled Saigo, his voice think with influence.

Naruto, pushed Tsunade off, his collar bone apparently healed . He stood, his fellow ninja to his back. "Alright, lets get it started for real! Dattebayo!" He formed his classic hand sign and summoned in about fifty shadow clones, all ready to fight. Before they could move in, Saigo held up his arm, and just left it there.

"The hell-

Before Naruto could finish his sentence, Saigo's katana came flying from the building where Sakura was taken out from the overwhelming weight of the blade, and into his hand.

_**"Let's do this."**_

And then he was on them, his blade, like a razor, was cutting clean through the clones, like they were air. In a moments notice, the clones were all destroyed, and he was pressing the attack against Naruto. The orange-clad shinobi tried to block, but soon realized that blocking wasn't a very great idea. Saigo cut straight through his kunai, and he would have been cut in half if not for Sasuke blocking with his more sturdy katana.

"Get back Naruto!" Naruto jumped backwards from the onslaught, while the Uchiha and the beastly assassin danced their deadly duet. Sasuke was clearly struggling underneath the shear strength of Saigo, but the man-beast clearly wasn't even trying, still only wielding his blade one-handed. Seeing this, Kiba moved in from the side, with Akamaru transforming into a clear-cut copy of his master. They charged Saigo, preparing their classic jutsu.

"Kiba ijo Kiba!" the look alikes began their high-speed rotations, homing in on the shirtless shinobi. The dog and master combo were inches from Saigo, when he simply stepped back, with speeds greater than Lee this time, causing the duo to collide into each other, sending them flying back several meters. They skidded to a stop right before falling of the building, unconscious.

_**"Come on, you really thing a dog and his puppy can touch me? Naruto, I want to fight you! Not this Uchiha wannabe!"**_

_** "**_What did you say?" growled Sasuke, taking a stance, both hands on his katana.

_**"You heard me, Uchiha whelp," **_Saigo retorted. He relaxed his stance, obviously not interested in Sasuke.

_**"Hurry up, Uzumaki! If you don't come to me, I'll come to you!" **_he yelled, staring down the said blonde. Naruto, gritted his teeth, reaching into his leg holster, pulling out the three pronged kunai of his heritage jutsu. He was about to throw them, when Sasuke reacted first.

"Pay attention to whats in front of you, you teme!" yelled Sasuke, charging the hulking shinobi. He closed in on him, Sharingan blazing. "Chidori!" he charge his electrifying attack in his left palm, blade in his right. Saigo just stood there, still relaxed. Before Sasuke was halfway toward him, Saigo just disappeared. If you had blinked, it would have seem as if he were just an illusion. Sasuke was dumbfounded, until he was blindsided by a brick of a fist colliding with the small of his back, which sent him flying straight into the air, his jutsu dissipating. "Gah!" Sasuke grunted in pain. Saigo was in the air in front of him before he reached his apex, and he was elbowed back down on the roof, only to crash trough it and land in a bloody heap on the second floor of the residence.

"Sasuke, no!" screamed Naruto.

_**"Come on,**_ **dobe, **_**what are ya gonna do about that, huh?" **_taunted the man-beast.

"**Don't call me that**!" Naruto charged Saigo, eyes blood red and vulpine

"Naruto, don't!" Minato tried to stop him, but was held back by Tsunade.

"Minato, this is his fight now. We have to let him fight it," Tsunade told him, sternly.

"But-"

"NO! You've seen what he can do. He can handle himself against a prick like this.

"...Fine..."

IIIIIIIIIIIII

"Uncle, you have to let me go out there! They're going to kill him!" Asuna was pounding on the chest of one of the guards that was barring her way out of the door, tears streaming down her face.

"That is the point, Asuna! He is a threat to the Fire Nation! And you!" he yelled at his niece.

"No he's not! He is just here to see me!" she started to tear up a bit.

"Then why did he kill all of the shinobi out there!?" he pointed toward the hallways.

"He didn't! Sakura-san said they were just knocked out!" she screamed at the large man.

"Well, she must not be a good medic-nin, because they looked very dead to me!" he argued toward his niece.

"She's the best in the village uncle! Now let me go!" the Diamyo was taken aback at this, but quickly regained his composure.

"Damn it, Asuna, I didn't want to do this! Ryo, subdue her," he ordered the guard barring the distraught beauty's way. He simply nodded, and grabbed her arms.

"Gah! Let me go, let me go, you teme!" after struggling for a few seconds, she decided to go with a cheap shot. She put her foot as hard as her small body would allow her to, into Ryo's armored crotch. Even though it was armored, the blow was still hard enough for him to involuntarily let go of Asuna. She took possibly her only opportunity that she was likely to get, and slipped around the gasping guard. She opened the door, gathered her bearings, and took off for the entrance to the tower.

"Damn it! After her!" she heard her uncle bellow.

_Hold on Saigo, I wont let them hurt you. _She tore her kimono, revealing a loose fitting gray, long sleeved, low cut shirt, and a pair of skin-tight leggings. She clumsily ripped off her formal sandals, preferring to go bare-foot than, in her specific words, in those pieces of shit.

When she reached the entrance, she turned to see her uncle's royal guards right on her tail. _Uh-oh. Better run faster! _She turned right back around, and took off as fast as her toned legs would carry her, right out into the storm that was probably breaking records.

IIIIIIIIII

"Come on Sakura-chan! You have to help me get this sword off of your arm!" Lee yelled at Sakura, his entire body straining to pull the sword up, but he couldn't lift it. His body weights were laying on the ground next to him.

"I can't, Lee! I can't! I CAAAAAN'T!" the pink haired kinoichi screamed, sobbing between breaths.

"You have to! You have to, Sakura-chan! Your arm!" She looked over to her arm, only to see it in a worse state. It was black, like soot, with her veins burning a bright red through out her arm, like a corruption, and it was causing her agonizing, blinding pain, to the point were she couldn't even scream for a spell of time.

"Please, Lee, please you have to get it off!" she sobbed.

"I- I can't! It won't budge-" before he could finish, it just took off into the air, releasing her arm, and making Lee stumble to fall flat on his ass. Sakura sat up, gasped, grabbed her arm, and rolled over to lay back down, cradling her destroyed arm.

"Sakura-chan! Sakura-chan!" Lee hopped to his feet and ran over to her. "Sakura-chan, are you alright?"

"No, dumbass, I'm not! It hurts, it hurts so bad! i- I can't even muster the strength to heal it..."

"Don't worry, Sakura-chan, I'll get you to Hokage-sama!" Lee scooped the injured Sakura into his arms, and jumped to the roof.

IIIIIIIIII

Naruto slid back several feet from the punch delivered to his gut. He recover himself, and dashed toward Saigo, who, during their entire battle, hadn't moved from the spot he was originally standing in. Naruto pulled out several shuriken and threw them. Saigo, with a speed advantage, just side stepped them. Naruto quickly formed a shadow clone, who charged at the man-beast. The clone tossed out several punches, kicks, and other various attacks, but the sword-wielding shinobi dodged every last one of the attacks without raising his blade.

While Naruto thought he was distracted, he formed a Rasengan in his right hand, and pulled out a kunai with his left. When he saw an opening, he rushed Saigo. He reached the beastly shinobi, and went to stab him in the throat and put his jutsu into his gut. He wasn't prepared for what happened next. Saigo lowered his head and caught the kunai in his teeth, and using his left hand, grabbed, yes grabbed, Naruto's Rasengan.

Naruto's vulpine eyes widened in fear, as he realized just how out-classed he was here. Saigo just smirked. He ripped his head back, tearing the kunai out off Naruto's hand, and tossed it to the side.

"_**I see it in your eyes. You're afraid now because you realized that Death is only a stroke away**_," He tapped his katana against Naruto's side, his icy blue eyes piercing the blond's own, now cerulean eyes. "_**There is nothing stopping me from killing you. Nothing at all...**_" he raised his sword to strike the final blow. Naruto tried to scramble to safety, but Saigo's grip on his hand was steeled, unbudging. He kept trying to free himself, but to no avail. Saigo was enjoying this, he could see it.

**Kit... I'm sorry... I couldn't protect you.**

_No, it's alright... We just finally met our match... Hehe... I thought after we dealt with Obito, Madara, and the Senju, we would be done with the nearly dieing every three days thing... Well, I guess we still are._

**Yea...**

Naruto looked over to Tsunade and Minato, seeing Minato rushing toward him, fear etched in his features. He could see him mouthing words through the thick rain, but he couldn't hear them. He looked over to where Sakura went through the roof, to see an injured Sakura in Lee's arms, fear in their eyes, too. Finally, he looked back to Saigo, who was smiling like a blood-drunk beast. He was about to close his eyes, ready to accept his fate, when he saw Asuna beside them.

Saigo stopped his attack.

"A-Asuna..." Naruto caught a glimpse of guilt in his eyes, before relief washed over them. He released Naruto, who stumbled to regain his balance. Once it was regained he looked up to see Saigo's tattoos recede all along his body, and he began to shrink back to his normal stature. He dropped his katana, as it clattered uselessly to the ground, instead off dropping through the roof like it did with Sakura.

He slowly raised a hand to caress he cheek. "You're... you're okay... you're really alright..." he muttered out, slowly sinking to his knees.

"Yeah," she said, softly. "I'm alright, I'm alright, you don't have to worry about me anymore. I'm here again..." she sank to her knees, too, wrapping her arms around Saigo, trying to comfort the now obviously distraught man, who took a massive swing in demeanor, from about to deal the death blow to Naruto, to crying in Asuna's arms.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry... he took over again. It- it's getting more frequent... I don't know what to do..." he started to sob quietly.

"Shh shh shhhh... it's alright, it's over now. Just calm down," he was shivering against Asuna now, who wasn't very warm herself, the rain freezing them both. They stayed like that quietly for a few minutes, both trying to be as close to possible to their counterpart. Soon, Saigo passed out in Asuna's arm.

She turned around to look at the gathered group of shinobi. Sasuke was draped over Minato's shoulders, Kiba and Akamaru were gingerly standing together behind Naruto, Sakura was still in Lee's arms, and Tsunade and Naruto were keeled down by Asuna.

"I'm so, so sorry Tsunade-sama, Naruto-kun. He has a... how do I put it... a... demon sealed inside of him, like you," she nodded to Naruto. "The differences though are his seal isn't as strong as yours was, and his... demon is for a certainty the most evil and deadly of any being to ever walk this plain of existence," she explained. "That sword is the physical manifestation of it's power, and Saigo's main form of offense, as you probably saw. The downside... the more he uses it, the weaker the seal becomes. He used to be able to fight back against the teme, but if it even smells blood, it surfaces, and he can't keep him back. I'm so sorry."

"Asuna, it's alright," Tsunade whispered to the anxious girl. "Nothing will happen to him. I's understandable that he can't control something that strong. I need to know something though."

"Anything."

"What is wrong with Sakura's arm?" she motioned toward the injured girl. Asuna gasped

"Oh, Kami... Here," she pulled a bottle out of a hidden pocket in her shirt, next to her collarbone. "This is the only thing that can heal that. Saigo created it a while back," she hand the bottle to Tsunade stood up and went over to Sakura. "Open it and poor it into your hand, then rub it all over the infected area," Tsunade did as she was told, Sakura grunting in pain as she had to extend her arm. The affects ,though, were almost immediate, the glowing from her veins dulled down to where they were almost undetectable, and the relief was evident on Sakura's face. "If Saigo's blade touches something, living it slowly corrupts it, until it has withered away to nothing. If that had reached a vital organ... she wouldn't have made it... he made that antidote after I accidental dropped it on my foot... I don't really want to explain that..."

"It's alright, Asuna-chan," said Naruto, who was actually smiling. "Now, can we get out of the rain? I'm freezing!"

**'Cha like it? If soo, PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! I have only 13 reviews as of when I posted this chapter, and I need YOUR help to make this an enjoyable experience. If you would be so kind as to refer this story to communities, forums, friends, strangers you meet at Mcdonalds- you get the picture. It would be awesome if you spread the word. The more people who read AND review, the faster I get out QUALITY chapters. Don't expect a weekly release, even if I do get good hits, cause, I, you know, work, attend school, and generally have an engaging lifestyle. I'm not bullshitting you, a writer on this website has a life!(multiple people gasp) So yeah... Alpha out.**


	6. The Good News First, or the Bad News?

**Hey, sorry for the... slightly late update. Naruto has been... lets say fiesty. Yeah Fiestys a good word for him.**

**-Fiesty my ass! -lugs brick at alpha-**

**Dammit, would you stop that! What's done is done!**

**-I'm gonna kill you!**

**Sorry, gotta run! He's not too happy with what happens in this chapter, but maybe you guys will understand better than hi-**

**-Run, bitch, run!**

**Running!**

**I do not in any form own the trademarks to Naruto or SAO.**

"Tsunade, I told you to end that bastard! Instead of that, you directly defied my orders, and he is in there, endangering the life of my niece!" bellowed a raging, red-faced Diamyo. "I told you I would have your head if you didn't!"

"You said if he escaped! He is right there, in that room!" she pointed to her hospital office's door. "I have ANBU watching him and the hospital! HE wont be going anywhere, and besides, he has no desire to, not with Asuna-san in there," she yelled, equally pissed.

"Grrr... It's decisions like this that kill careers Tsunade. I will see my niece, regardless."

"I'm sorry. Diamyo-sama, but Asuna-san has ordered me not to let anyone else in there."

"So you listen to the teenager that's barely old enough to birth children, but you disobey the orders of the Diamyo? Tsunade... there will be consequences," the Diamyo turned his back on a glowering Tsunade, and put his hand on the doorknob.

"Go away uncle!" yelled Asuna form behind the door. The Diamyo tried the door, regardless. It was locked.

"Open this door right now, young lady!"

"I said go away!"

"If you don't open this door, things are going to get infinitely worse for you!" he pounded on the door to add emphasis.

"How much worse could they possibly get, uncle? I was dragged from the capital against my will, told I was to be forcefully married to a person I had never met! I found out he was actually a very great person," her voice went to a normal level at that, but then rose again. "Even so, I the found the best friend I had lost because you and my father were scared he would hurt me, even though he went to great pains to make sure I was safe at all times, but because you wanted him dead, he nearly took the life of multiple of your best shinobi!"

"That is exactly my point he is too dangerous!"

"He wasn't himself!"

"The vindicates me even more! He has no control, which makes him even more dangeroud than if he could control that... demon!"

"Because you made him that way!" that started the Diamyo, who took a step back! "If it wasn't for you, he would never had been a danger, he would have never been banished, and none of this would have happened, and WE would be happily wed back in the capital! All of this happened because you wanted a deterrent against other nations!" Tsunade was surprised to say the least.

"Now, you want to be even more controlling by making me wed Naruto-kun and dragging him to the capital! You just want to control what he does, because of how powerful he is and how prestigious his clans are! You just want to make up for the failed attempt with Saigo to have a deterrent! This time in the form of a jinchuriki!"

Tsunade was furious now.

"Is this true, Diamyo-sama? Do you just want to use Naruto as a wall to fend off more war?" she said, incredulous. The Diamyo gingerly turned to face her, getting a good look at the famous wrath monster firsthand.

"He is the best chance we have at preventing more death! He is the single most important person in the shinobi world right now. The fate of the Nations rest on his shoulders! One wrong move could tear down the peace!" he fumbled to Tsunade.

"The world has had enough of war! That is promise enough of peace!"

"There will always be war mongers in this world! Anything to keep them at bay is valuable! You saw that with the Akatsuki, Madara, and Obito!"

"I admit they were blood-thirsty bastards, but if you think you can drag Naruto off, you are sadly mistaken! You may be my superior, but Naruto is family. Konaha is Naruto's family, and I will die before letting anyone take anymore family from him. Even Kami himself would have to fight me before I let that happen," Tsunade's voice was a whisper at this, and the Diamyo saw that he had lost.

"Fine, I will retire to the Tower, but if my niece is not back to the Tower by nightfall, under MY watch, ill come back and drag her there myself. Guards!" with that, his platoon of royal samurai formed a barrier around him, and they marched down the hallway. Tsunade watched until the last of the men had turned the corner.

She knocked softly on the door. "Asuna-san, it's just me. Can you unlock the door?" she said, just as softly. She heard shuffling behind the door, and it was soon opened to reveal a stunned- looking Naruto. He stood out of the way, letting the Hokage pass, then closed and relocked the door. Tsunade seated herself in the plush office chair behind her desk, and Naruto just leaned against the door. It was uncomfortably quiet for a few minutes as Tsunade studied the faces in the room, arms resting, steeped on her desk, as in her usual fashion. Asuna was seated on the small loveseat she had for her break, with a still unconscious Saigo laid out on it, his feet hanging over the armrest and his head in her lap, her hands rubbing across his shaved scalp. Her eyes never left his face. She turned to Naruto, eyes downcast, arms crossed. She turned to Lee, who was sitting in a chair against the wall opposite Asuna doing everything to divert his gaze from the Hokage, and finally Minato, who was leaning against the wall in a fashion similar to Naruto, but his blue eyes met Tsunade's hazel pair.

Naruto was the first to speak though. "Sooo... how are the others Baa-chan?" a vein throbbed on her forehead.

"Good. Sakura's arm is nearly completely healed, except for the hand. Her hand was completely shattered, but she made sure herself it would heal completely, stronger than ever. It was very lucky you kept that vial on you, Asuna-san. Why did you keep it?" Asuna was startled a little bit.

"What? Oh, well, after Father burned all of my pictures of Saigo and destroyed everything else that he had given me, it was the only I had to remind myself of him. Father thought it was medicine, and he wasn't wrong, he just wasn't completely thorough."

"That's terrible!" Naruto blurted out.

"Yeah, well, my father has proven himself to be a terrible man. Even my uncle secretly despises him. He has more ears than friends, and he has more enemies than the Royal treasury has Ryo."

"He sounds like an interesting man," Tsunade said, amused.

"What about the others, Baa-chan?" the vein throbbed again.

"Grr... Kiba and Akimaru only had a few minor injuries. They were just knocked out clean cold after they collided. All the guards in the Tower were just left unconscious with a big bruise on there chests for their troubles," she continued on.

"What about Sasuke, Baa-chan?"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" she yelled, her head expanding larger than her body. Naruto shrunk down to a quarter of his size, muttering multiple apologies, and a string of 'Don't kill me!'s. Tsunade shrunk back to scale, sighing. "Sasuke... was the worst off, by far. His injuries were severe. He had two herniated disks in his lower back, three vertebrae were cracked, one shattered, and his entire rib cage was collapsed. He was lucky no organs were punctured, but... it could be months before he can walk again... and he may have to retire from being a shinobi. I am so, so, sorry Naruto. I performed the operations myself, and saved his life, but it is up to his own will power if he will ever serve again, but it is very, very unlikely," Naruto was distraught to say the least.

"No..." he gasped out weakly. "Your wrong! He's Sasuke! He's been through a hell of a lot worse! He'll come out of this as if it never happened! He will!" Naruto had tears gathering in his blue orbs.

"Naruto," Minato got his son's attention. "Yelling at Tsunade-sama isn't going to help anyone. Calm down. We all know what Sasuke means to you," he voiced his wisdom expertly, but Naruto just stood there, eyes on the floor.

After a minute, he turned to the door, unlocking it. "Asuna-chan, please tell Saigo... that I don't blame him for any of this. I know what he's been through. I've hurt people when I wasn't myself," his memories drift to Jiraya and Sakura. "... but I'm gonna kick his ass," with that, he opened the door and walked out, closing it behind him.

"That went... better than I thought it would."

"Your telling me," Tsunade jumped out of her skin, turning around to see Kakashi in an open window.

"Yo. What did I miss?

"Dammit, Kakashi! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Kakashi just closed his eye in the eye-grin of his. Tsunade sighed for what seemed the hundredth time that day, and explained the days events to the Copy Ninja.

"Well. Sounds like a real problem. I'm sure Sasuke will fight for it, if even a little of Naruto has rubbed off on him. The problems with the Diamyo... another matter entirely," he trained his eye on Minato. "Sensei, you look like you have something to say,"

Minato raised himself from the wall, straitening out his posture. "I think I can handle the Diamyo. Give him a reason to stop this ridiculous marriage."

"And how is that, Minato?" questioned an intrigued Tsunade.

"Ahh... by... offering myself to be wed again... he does have a widowed sister, who has made it clear she wishes to marry again."

"Minato-sama, no, it's alright. I'll marry Naruto-kun. I'll go through with it. It will make the nation stronger than if you married. He does have two clans in him."

"Minato, listen to the girl. His sister is young enough to be Asuna-san's older sister, and she's twice widowed," Tsunade added.

"All the more reason to marry her. The Diamyo wants Uzumaki blood in his family, so I can give him that. I'm sure Naruto wouldn't mind having siblings."

"Minato, no. I won't allow it. As stupid as this arranged wedding is, it is more feasible than you marring someone other than Kushina."

"Listen to her, Minato-sama. As much as we both don't want it, Naruto and I have to marry, if not for the right reasons, at least for everyone to be able to continue living without fear of my uncle," she pleaded with Minato.

"Fine... I guess it was a pretty stupid idea. I just hate to see my son forced into this, especially when he is clearly head over heels for Sakura, and you for Saigo," Asuna's face was beet red in seconds. Tsunade smiled at the display of young affection, however subtle.

"Either way, someone needs to go find Naruto before he does something stupid," Tsunade said.

"I'll go find him," offered Minato. "I'll probably be able to calm him down better than anyone." He left the room to find his son.

"Lee," Tsunade turned to the spandex-sporting taijutsu specialist. His head snapped to attention, onyx eyes focused on Tsunade, for once in the time they have been in the room "You've been quiet this whole time. What's eating at you?"

He bowed his head to the floor, bracing his arms on his knees. "I am sorry Hokage-sama! I have failed you!"

"How is that, Lee?"

"I could not free Sakura before harm came to her! I must become stronger. I will double my training!"

"Lee-"

"Don't beat yourself up," said Saigo, who was raising up out of Asuna's lap. "I'm the only one who can lift the damn thing, and that's just because he lets me. If I pissed him off," he said, pointing to his seal. "He would crush me under it. You couldn't lift it even if you could lift a mountain," he was rubbing his head now, eyes on the ground.

"Are you alright?" questioned Asuna, arms on his broad shoulders.

"Yeah, just a headache," he looked up to meet Tsunade's eyes. "Again, I am very sorry. If there is anything I can do to help, just let me know, I'll get it done."

"I think it would be best if you stayed here for now. I wouldn't put it past the Diamyo to have his guards posted around the village, ready to kill you. He basically brought an army with him. You had to see them camped out beyond the wall."

"I did, but Kami himself would have to give them his blessing before they could kill me. I don't die very easy. If I'm stuck in this... what is it, a hospital?" Tsunade nodded. "Well, I've picked up a few medical tricks in my days. Especially in healing broken bones. What about the Uchiha? I felt bones break. Is there anything I can do for him?"

Tsunade looked startled. "Well, I guess your welcomed to try, under my supervision, of course."

"Great, lets go. I'm ready to fix what problems I caused," he jumped to his feet and was out the door in the blink of an eye.

"Saigo, wait!" Asuna was up and after him as well.

Tsunade turned to Kakashi. "Well, lets go see if he can work miracles or not. We better lead him to Sasuke's room first off."

**So?-avoids 100 bricks thrown at him in a comical manner- WHA-avoids another salvo- Dammit i had to do i-brick impacts face- Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow... sorry for f'n Sasuke-grunts in pain- maybe Saigo can work magic as well as he can break stuff... ow... Alpha... out... ow...**


	7. Let go, Hinata

**Hey, a really quick update, I know, but you must be happy! Right? Well, this was originally supposed to be a very short comedic chapter involving a fainting Hinata, a gourging Choji, a stoic Shino, and all the others i have left out so far... but then it hit me... Naruto has more than two people after him now... 'Where's the third?' you ask? 'Who is she?' you say?... well think about it... Also, I reread my story up to now... and there were so many glaring and embarassing errors I cried just a lttle bit... so i went back and fixed them the best i could. See these errors happen because i don't plan my stories. I let the plot flow as i write them. Hell, i don't even know who the main bad guy is gonna be, or if there will be multiple, and i have NO idea how im gonna end this story. So sometimes i leave gapping holes in the plot and add details that contradict details previously given, and dont explain things that need some 'splanin. Don't worry, i went through and listed some things i need to add in future chapters, but this one is focused entirely on a certian someone only mentioned once in the story. Enjoy.**

**Standard Disclaimer here, because im to lazy to type one right now.**

_I hate rain, so much,_ thought a drenched Hinata. Like Naruto, the weather was a perfect fit to her mood. Dark, dreary, and all around miserable. _Naruto-kun is being forced to marry? Of course he was, especially after Sakura had all his attention, my luck could only get worse. I really, really hate that bitch he's marrying. More than rain. A lot more than rain. Even Sakura could make him happier._ Hinata was extremely pissed at the thought of her future of an arrange marriage, but Naruto? She wanted to kill someone. A _certain _someone. That bitch niece of the Diamyo. Then maybe Sakura. Then Naruto would be hers...

As she made her way to the Yamanaka floral shop, to collect ingredients for a birthday present for Hanabi, she heard yelling and the sound of metal on metal from a roof not to far from her. She activate her Byakugan to see what the commotion was, only to see Naruto, Sakura, and the Hokage engaging another shinobi. The pale-eyed, Hyuuga was about to join the fight, she caught a glimpse of the chakra flowing through the mystery shinobi... and fear welded her to the spot. She had never sensed something so terrifying and evil. It was so sinister, not even the Senju matched the simple _corruption _of the chakra. She couldn't move if a boulder had crashed into her at speed. Poor Hinata had grown in confidence more than ever during the Fourth Shinobi war, but this... this was nothing like that.

For the entire fight, she watched the strange, evil chakra _being_, as it was the only way she could describe it, grow in atrociousness, and watched as the three shinobi were beaten down by it. When Minato and his team arrived, she wanted to scream at them to run away, to live, especially when Kiba and Akamaru charged the ever evolving monster. When they was knocked unconscious, she started to cry, despite her protests against her body. As the battle progressed, so did her distress, almost to where she was halfway to passing out as Naruto was about to be killed, until another mysterious person showed up and calmed the beast. She watched as the evil chakra receded from the body to focus in the center of the figure, almost like Naruto and Kurama.

After she watched them group up and head to the hospital, the now unconscious rouge thrown over Naruto's shoulder, she noticed a large group of samurai running towards the spot of the battle. While they were investigating the sight, a towering figure and more of the samurai joined them. She recognized the chakra as belonging to the Diamyo. They made their way to the hospital, too.

As they were leaving, she deactivated her Byakugan. As she did, she noticed she was cold, wet, and multiple people trying to get her attention.

"Hinata!" screamed a woman.

"Wha-" she turned around to see Ino, Choji, Shikamaru, Tenten, Shino, Neji, Sai, Kurienai, and Might Gai all standing behind her, worried looks etched on their features. "GAH! W-when d-did y-you all g-get h-here?" she said, stuttering and teeth chattering like a squirrel.

"Hinata," Kurienai said softly. "What's wrong?"

"You saw it too, didn't you, Hinata?" Neji interrupted. She nodded, not trusting her voice.

"Saw what?" questioned Ino.

"A monster," deadpanned Shino. "My bugs were able to sense him, so I sent some out. They disintegrated when they got twenty feet from him, from the sheer chakra pressure saturating the air."

"What?" blurted out Shikamaru.

"What are you guys talking about?" ask Choji, not eating for once.

"T-there w-was a m-m-monstrous chakra c-coming from a b-beast of a man," Hinata stumbled out.

"His chakra was of pure evil, nothing light, or good about it. It was a corruption. He nearly killed Sasuke, Kiba and Akamaru, Sakura, and even Naruto, but the Diamyo's niece was able to stop him for some reason. Maybe he knows her," Neji explained.

_That was the Diamyo's niece? What is going on? _Thought a terrified Hinata.

"Well, whatever it is, we can't do anything about it now. Hinata, go home. You look like your about to pass out. Neji, make sure she gets there," order Kurienai.

"Y-yes, Kurienai-sensei," Hinata muttered. Neji just nodded. They began to walk back to the Hyuuga compound, the heiress deep in thought. She was ripped out of it by Neji.

"Hinata," he said, when they were closing in on the compound

"Yes, cousin?" she asked.

"I need to tell you something. For your own good."

"What is it, Neji?" she didn't like were this was going.

"It's... about Naruto," he said.

"What is it?" worry in her voice.

"It's pains me to say this, but... get over him," he said, bluntly.

"W-what?" they reached the entrance to the compound, and stopped outside the entrance.

"Get over him. He's wedding the niece of the the Diamyo, and even if that wasn't enough, he's madly in love with Sakura-san. You're beautiful, Hinata, no one can deny that. Not even me, considering I used to think you worthless," he said, pale eyes now suddenly trained on the ground. "But beauty is no match for the order of the Diamyo, or love," Hinata had tears trailing down her face.

"No. No. Your wrong cousin. I love Naruto-kun. He taught me to never give up. He showed me I'm not worthless. He gave me courage and strength, and you want me to repay him by giving up on my love for him? You bastard. You bastard," her voice was strong, despite the shivers wracking her body, and the tears that were freely flowing. Neji raised his eyes to meet his cousins.

"No, Hinata, that is the last thing I want. I want you to love Naruto. I want you to be his bride, not the Diamyo's niece. Most of all, I don't want to watch you suffer. I've watched you suffer enough, but if you don't let go of Naruto, all you are ever going to do is suffer. I'm not telling you to stop loving him, I'm telling you to stop running after him. All you are going to do is trip and fall, and watch him grow more distant. Instead, walk beside him as a friend, an ally, and someone who supports him through his perils, even if only as a friend. Naruto treasures his friendships with his precious people too much to watch them hurt and not do anything about it, and if you don't let go, he will never be able to help you, and it will destroy him from the inside out. And you will be the reason why," he explained to a now sobbing Hinata. He turned to open the door to the compound. He stopped to turn his head around and say, "Let go, Hinata. He won't forgive you if you don't," and walked inside, shutting the door.

Hinata was openly letting her feelings and her fears run out of her in her tears. She leaned against the wall of the compound, letting the short oriental roof keep the rain off of her, and slid to the ground, still sobbing.

She didn't know how long she had been there, but when she finally came to her senses, it was dark. After letting Neji's harsh, but truthful words sink in for hours, she came to an ultimatum. Either she would have Naruto, or she would give up on being a ninja, for betraying her Nindo. For betraying Naruto's Nindo. That was her burden.

**So? Was it good? Let me know. Also, I've had people begging me for Naruto and Asuna 'intimate moments', no names will be mentioned,-cough Dhrubowiz cough-, so i have decide next chapter will hold some form of interaction between our hero and his bride-to-be. Alpha out.**


	8. Treachery

**Hey! I'm on the ball, arent I? Well, I'm moving soon, so I'm trying to get as much GOOD stuff out before hten, cause it might be a month before i can update after i start moving, so yeah. Don't hold your breath. Nevertheless, I GOT MY FIRST FLAME! YEAH! I have been waiting for one, just so i can rub it in the guys face. This one, it's pretty fun. Let me break it down for you. WARNING, VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED: **Dude, fuck you.** Now lets stop a minute. We already know this is a flame, because of how it starts off. **Quit making ninja's seem like pussies for obeying a civilian faggot with weak samurai.** Alright, let me 'splain something, kid. The Diamyo is the KING of the Fire country. They kinda have to listen to him. Second i explain the samurai in this chaapter, so hold yer britches'. **"Samurai aren't weak though" yes they fuckin are, only the iron countries samurai can do shit, the rest are shitty.** Again, read this chapter.**If naruto wanted to he could just blow the damn fire capital up and get it over with, but no, its gotta be all angsty.** Actually, no he couldn't, because he's not a monster who would kill inocents. This next parts my favorite, it really shows the flamer in him.** what, one too many bad breakups? Fucking fag.** Actually, I've only had one girlfriend, and she was a real bitch who i didn't care much for from the start. Now i just focus on my job. Sorry. Anyway, i know they say dont feed the flamers... But its to much fun to prove 'em wrong... Enjoy. (BTW, that was from a guest.)**

**Disclaimer. I don't own Naruto.**

"Naruto! Naruto!" Minato was trying to find Naruto as he left the hospital. He saw his retreating figure headed towards one of his son's favorite spots in the village. Where Kakashi and Team 7 used to meet before a mission. Naruto had explained that to him when they chanced upon the spot walking around the village. Minato jogged after him, thankful the storm had finally let up, now only a steady fall of drops instead of sheets of ice cold rain.

"Naruto!" yelled the Yondaime as he neared his son. Naruto sped up, bypassing the road to the bridge. Minato call after him again, and Naruto was jogging to. He continued to call after his son, until they were both at a dead sprint. They continued like this until they had ran half the distance of the village, Naruto and Minato both out of breath, stopped in front of an all too familiar stall.

"Naruto-"

"Go away, dad. Not right now," he interrupted.

"What if I buy ramen?" Naruto turned to face him. He stared him down for a minute, his eyes back to normal now.

"As much as I can eat?" he asked, tentatively.

"As much as you can eat," replied Minato.

"You know you're gonna be broke, right"

"Yep." the walked out of the rain and into Ichiraku, the smells of the food of Kami assaulting Naruto and Minato's nostrils. Used to, he didn't like the stuff, when he was young, that is. But Kushina got him hooked. He shared the same love for the delectable food, but not the appetite his son had. They sat on the stools.

"Ah, Naruto-san, Minato-sama! I am still adjusting to seeing you around again!" greeted Teuchi, Ayame behind him, cutting vegetables.

"It's good to see you to Teuchi-san, Ayame-san," greeted Minato. Naruto gave a grunt. Teuchi gave Minato a questioning look, then burst out.

"Well, because of the rain, I haven't had much custom today, so the first five bowls are free!" Minato gave silent prayer to Kami. That would save him enough to get the foodstuffs they needed for their apartment. That brought a smile to Naruto's face.

"The usual, Minato-sama?" asked Ayame.

"Yes, thank you," he replied. Within minutes, their food was in front of them, and Naruto was back to his normal loud self. Minato and him broke apart their chopsticks.

"Itadakimasu!" yelled Naruto, right before digging in. By the time Minato was done with his own seafood ramen, Naruto was on his third. Minato ate one more bowl, and was done, running out their free supply of ramen. The whole time Naruto was blowing his meager amount of money, Minato thought of what he was going to say to him about Sasuke. He wasn't good at the whole 'father' thing, as he had only been around him to be a father for a couple of months. If Kushina was here, she would know the exact thing to say to Naruto. She always had the perfect thing to say in every situation.

When Naruto was done, he managed to eat fourteen bowls of miso pork ramen. Fatherly talk forgotten, Minato almost didn't let go of the money when he had to pay. He was ready to cry. As they exited the homey little food stall, Minato was complaining to Naruto.

"I had to pay for eleven bowls of ramen. ELEVEN! That stuff's not cheap, Naruto!" Naruto was laughing mischievously.

"That fight made me hungry! Can you blame me?"

"YES!" he bonked Naruto on top of the head.

"OW! What was that for?" Minato sighed.

"Because your my son... and I have no idea how to cheer you up about Sasuke,"

"But you already have," Minato gave him an incredulous look.

"How?"

"By just being my dad. That feeling still hasn't worn off. I know I can do anything about Sasuke, except to support him in getting better," Minato didn't say anything. He just gave his son a hug. Naruto was a little surprised at first, but hugged him back.

IIIIIIIIIII

Tsunade stood on on side of Sasuke, who was lying on his front, her hands glowing green with chakra, keeping his body in stasis, just in case what Saigo was doing didn't work. He was on the other side of the unconscious Uchiha, his hands aglow with blood-red chakra. Tsunade didn't like the look of it at first, but after he explained that was the color of his chakra... she didn't know there was a color to chakra... but after that was explained, she felt a little better. Whatever he was doing, it was working. She could hear his bones mending, shards and splinters moving back into place, melding into each other, crackling, shifting, and healing. She watched in wonder as he fix his mistake.

_How can I trust him, though? He nearly killed Sasuke and was seconds from ending Naruto. Even if it was his... demon... if he can lose control so easily... It wont matter if the Diamyo gets his way, and that's a whole other problem..._

She was torn from her thoughts when he announced that he was done. "I did all I could, which surprisingly, might be enough to have him on his feet in two weeks or less," he told the Hokage. "He will still need recovery time, of course."

"Of course. May I ask where you learned such an advanced medical jutsu?"

"I made it."

"What?"

"Let's just say you learn real quick when you fall off a mountain..." Tsunade didn't say anything to that. Within seconds, Sasuke was stirring.

"W-what the hell happened?" he looked up to see Saigo standing over him, still shirtless. "Gah! What the hell are you doi- argh, ahh!" he tried to stand up, but his back racked with pain.

"Hey, stay down, you'll run everything I just did!" urged Saigo, with Tsunade gently pushing him back down on the bed.

"Sasuke, he just healed you. There is no need to worry."

"What do you mean 'no need to worry'? He put me through a roof!" yelled Sasuke. Tsunade was about respond when he suddenly lost consciousness.

"Hmm. His body must need more rest to finish recovering," stated Saigo, as if talking about the weather.

"Speaking of which, you need somewhere to stay, don't you?" questioned Tsunade.

"Yeeaah, that would help. Couldn't I just stay in the Tower?" he asked.

"Not with the Diamyo there. His men would kill you."

"I can handle myself against some samurai. I got a katana myself," he smiled a large toothy grin, reminiscent of Naruto, but it was warm, unlike the mocking ones he had given during their battle.

"Your forgetting he has an honor guard of some of the most highly trained Shinobi in the world. If it wasn't for my ANBU hidden in the room, he would have them spying on us right now. Neko!"

"Yes Hokage-sama?" a shinobi in a cat mask appeared.

"When we find accommodations for him, I want you and two others of your choice to watch over his lodgings, just in case," she ordered.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," and he disappeared again.

"Like I said, I can handle myself-"

"I sent them because you and Asuna-chan are to be in the same place. Right now she is a bargaining chip that anyone with an agenda could use. I need someone who can protect her, and the ANBU are for keeping the Diamyo's informants at bay," Saigo mouthed a silent 'oh'.

"I think the best place to stay would be a Minato and Naruto's apartment," at the mention of Naruto, Saigo grew stiff, and his eyes went to the floor. "I know that sounds like a bad idea, but she will be safest there."

Saigo stood silent for a few minutes, until, "What makes you think I won't use Asuna as a bargaining chip?"

"What?" Tsunade's voice was sharp and cold.

"You said anyone could use her as leverage. What makes you think I wont put my sword to her throat and threaten to kill her if I don't get what I want?" he said, looking her in the eye now. The room grew deathly quiet.

"Because, from what I can tell, she is what you want. If you wanted to, you could just take off with her," she gave him a wink, then a look that said 'I'll explain later'.

"Hm. I guess your right."

"Of course. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go take care of some business. I'm sure you can let yourself out?" he nodded. "Good," she left the room.

IIIIIIIIIII

Per the order of The Godaime Hokage, Minato, Naruto, Saigo, Asuna, Neji, Tenten, Lee, Kiba and Akamaru, Sakura, hand in a cast and arm in a sling, Ino, Shino, Choji, Shikamaru, Gai, Kakashi, Sai, Hinata, and Tsunade herself were gathered in the small apartment of the Namikaze-Uzumaki residents, the sun most of the way behind the walls of Konoha, the dieing light washing through the village. The storm had finally broken an hour before.

"Alright, we are all here for a mission debrief."

"What? Why are we in a tiny ass apartment for a debrief?" yelled Kiba.

"Because this must stay secret from the Diamyo," this gained some astonishment from the shinobi.

"What? Why?" questioned Neji.

"I've already explained to Saigo, Asuna, Minato, and Naruto. Asuna, care to tell the others of this plan?" she asked.

"Why of course, Tsunade-sama," she stood up from the couch her and Saigo were seated on, who now was fully clothed, despite the shirt being a 'little' to tight, not leaving much to the imagination, and faced the rest of the group. "Alright, so as you know, my uncle is forcing me and Naruto into a marriage, thinking it will strengthen the bonds between the Capital and Konoha, which it won't. It will only strain them further. He has already opened three new academies for training shinobi in the Capital, wanting to switch the capital into a military state of it's own. I love my uncle, I really do, but he's a tyrant, hungering for war. It would not have surprised me to find out he was funding Akatsuki."

"Sounds like a real bastard," muttered Kiba.

"He is, Kiba-san. Anyway, he is delusional in this matter, so we have arranged a way to stop the wedding," she said, her voice dropping off at the end.

"And? What is it?" asked Ino.

"Saigo... is going to... Kidnap me."

"What?!" yelled the uninformed group in unison.

"I know, it sounds crazy, but it's the only way to get away from my uncle," Tsunade took over for her.

"You fifteen will be the first ones in pursuit. I will make sure of that. You will follow Hinata, Neji, Kiba, and Shino to their location, covering your tracks along the way. Once you have regrouped, you are to make your way to the wave country via the bridge, then you are to take a boat to the Land of Water."

"Why are we doing this just to stop the marriage. Can't Naruto just refuse the proposal?" asked Shikamaru.

"No. The Diamyo would strip me from power and install a puppet, who would then force the marriage upon them."

"My uncle also wishes to start a war," The garnered even more astonishment. She produced a letter from her sleeve. "This is a letter I stole from my uncle. It is a report to my uncle from my father. It reads, 'Dear brother, How goes the wedding preparations? I hope my dear Asuna isn't to much trouble! I cannot wait to see my girl again, who will be a woman grown when she returns. I have great news though. The army is ready to march on the Wind and Earth countries. All we require is the Kyuubi no Kitsune's jinchuriki and we will be ready to conquer new lands, my brother. I await your return with bated breath. Sincerely, The Scribe'

The room was so quite, you could hear a bug walking.

"S-so t-they mean t-to use N-naruto-kun to s-start another war?" stuttered Hinata.

"Precisely," said Tsunade. "I hope that explains why we have to do this. Asuna-san, Saigo-san, you will leave in two hours, tucked away in a farmers wagon parked two hundred meters down the street. Be ready. The rest of you will leave and hour afterward. Get your gear ready and meet up at the gate. We have to make this a natural looking as any fake kidnapping can be."

**Sorry for no AsunaxNaruto moments, Dhrubowiz, but i couldn't work one in. Next chapter. Well, this might be the last you hear from me for a while. So sorry. Alpha out.**


End file.
